Single ended short arc lamps of low wattage previously employed have had brightness levels of 12,750 cd/in.sup.2 (candela per square inch) to 22,625 cd/in.sup.2 when operated over the range of 50 to 75 watts. These brightness levels correspond to those obtainable from commercially available tungsten-halogen incandescent lamps rated at 150 watts. High brightness lamps, including the tungsten-halogen incandescent described above, short arc mercury lamps and short arc Xenon lamps are used in projection systems and for theater and studio lighting. The short arc mercury lamps can achieve brightness levels of 139,000 cd/in.sup.2 and the short arc xenon lamps can achieve brightness levels of 278,000 cd/in.sup.2 or more. The latter two of these lamps, however, are double ended; i.e., the electrodes of the lamps are arrayed along a single longitudinal axis. Lamps of this type, for example, a low wattage (i.e., 100 watts) short arc xenon lamps can have a length of 78 mm for an arc length of 0.55 mm and a brightness level of about 161,300 cd/in.sup.2 .
It would be an advance in the art to provide a single ended, short arc lamp having a size much smaller than that of the mercury or xenon lamps and with equivalent brightness levels.